Grand Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Tonle Lake, Angkor Wat, and the villages beyond

Day 1: Arrive Phnom Penh

On arrival in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your centrally-located hotel. Phnom Penh sits at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac, and Tonle Sap rivers, and is considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina. It was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by a rich Khmer woman called Penh. She set up the monastery on a nearby hill, or “Phnom” in Cambodian, after she found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong, thus the capital's name. You will have the opportunity to visit this site.

Day 2: Phnom Penh City Sights

Today you will have a full day of guided sight seeing at places such as Wat Ounalom. Built in 1443 to house a hair of the Buddha, this very important temple consists of 44 structures facing the Tonle Sap Lake. Another interesting sight is the Silver Pagoda, often called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Kaeo after the statue housed there. King Norodom originally built the wooden temple in 1892, and its floor is comprised of more than 5000 silver blocks that together weigh nearly six tons. Continue with your tour to the National Museum, which was designed by French archeologist and painter George Groslier to exhibit works previously scattered about the country. Next, visit the Tuol Sleng Museum, home of the former high school that became the Khmer Rouge’s main torture and interrogation center known as Security Prison 21. Conclude with a visit to the Central Market, a covered market built in 1937 and distinguished by its central dome. It is filled with shops selling jewelry, fabrics, and all kinds of souvenirs, making it a great place for browsing.

Day 3: Oudong Countryside Stupas

Today you depart for Oudong, located about 25 miles from Phnom Penh and once the capital of Cambodia from 1618-1866. The ridges of Oudong feature several stupas containing the ashes of former Khmer kings. On the large ridge are the remains of Vihear Preah Ath Roes, “Vihara of the 18-cubit Buddha”. There are good views of the Cambodian countryside from here. Return to Phnom Penh for your overnight.

Day 4: Kampong Cham Port on the Mekong

After breakfast, you will journey north over land through the Mekong River basin to Kampong Cham. This lively port on the banks of the Mekong River has some good examples of colonial architecture. The Mekong River, which rises in Tibet, flows over 190 miles through Cambodia before continuing on through Vietnam to the sea. Visit a few of the sites in Kampong Cham, including the Wat Nokor Bayon, an 11th century Mahayana Buddhist shrine. Nakor Bayon is made of sandstone and laterite, with a large reclining Buddha and numerous alcoves containing Buddha images. Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei are two temples set atop hills, and translate as “Man Hill” and “Woman Hill,” respectively. The hills offer beautiful views of this central part of Cambodia. Continue on to Kampong Thom for the night.

Day 5: Kampong Cham Buddhas & Temples

In the morning, visit the seventh century Sambor Prei Kuk, one of the oldest temple groups in Cambodia. These Hindu temples pre-date the Angkor period and served as an inspiration for some of the Angkor temples built some 500 years later. Continue on to Siem Reap and check in to your hotel for the night.

Day 6: Siem Reap: Angkor Wat

You rise early before breakfast to avoid some of the crowds for a more intimate look at Ta Prohm, the jungle-covered temple and looking very much like most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first discovered them. Next, explore Angkor Wat, the temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, constructed over a period of 30 years, and illustrating some of the most beautiful examples of Khmer and Hindu art. It also features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. Return to the hotel around 9:00 am for breakfast before continuing on with your afternoon temple visit to Angkor Thom, a fortified royal city with five monumental gates, encircled by a moat over 325 feet wide. In the center of Siem Reap are the city’s most important monuments, including Baphuon, Bayon, and the Terrace of Elephants. The Bayon is one of the most popular of Angkor’s monuments, filled with narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs, and an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.

Day 7: Siem Reap: Angkor Temples

Your final tour of Angkor includes the Roluos Group, monuments that mark the beginning of Classical art. Lolei is built on an islet with sandstone carvings in the niches of the temples. Preah Ko has inscriptions in Sanskrit on the doorsteps of each of its temples, and Bakong, the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group, still has an active Buddhist monastery. End the day with a tour to Banteay Srei Temple, one of the most beautiful of the Angkor temples. If you like spend some time afterward walking around the old market.

Day 8: Tonle Sap Lake Vistas

This morning, you will have an opportunity to learn more about the Cambodian people as you begin your journey through a local village for the opportunity to take photos of families and their livestock. You can also visit the local orphanage for the chance to interact with the orphans and their teachers, and perhaps teach the children a few words of English while they teach you a few words of Cambodian. Afterward, take a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake. You will journey up the Tonle Sap River, which links Tonle Sap Lake and the mighty Mekong river, until you reach Tonle Sap Lake. This “Great Lake” takes up much of the center of Cambodia and changes in size depending on the season. During the dry season in February, it shrinks to a tenth of its original size and becomes one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. Your boat trip will take you to interesting fishing villages such as Chong Kneas, a floating village where both Khmer and Vietnamese live, and to Phnom Krom, a hill with spectacular views over the lake. The three towers on the hill are dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Return to Siem Reap for your overnight.

Day 9: Siem Reap/Onward

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.